TGS: Silent Hill's Low profile, Low Visibility

Share.

Konami gets all misty-eyed over its new PlayStation's 'horror-survival' game.

By IGN Staff

Silent Hill is shrouded in mystery. Silent Hill is shrouded in suspense. Actually, Silent Hill is just shrouded. Claiming that the fogging in this game is intentional, with the aim of enhancing the menacing atmosphere, Konami would perhaps take issue with our next statement. Silent Hill is stress-inducing not because of the ambience created in the game, but because you can hardly see more than a few feet in front of you at any one time.

Character animation is weird, too. Control is loose, and having the character move forward when facing out of the screen involves pressing up on the d-pad, not down; this is confusing, or at least seriously awkward. Another odd thing when the character walks backward -- he looks over his shoulder as if reversing in a car. This is more comical than anything, and at the very least, isn't very natural. (Wouldn't you just turn around? And how often do you find yourself walking backward, anyway?)

This aside, the interiors are very nicely modeled and the graphics have a hand-painted look, with the exception of the realistic cut-scenes. Enemies encountered in the demo at the show were the sort of freakish naked creatures made famous in Resident Evil, and which seem to be in vogue in this type of game. But this is another project not due until spring next year, so there's still time.